The Constant Valentine is a glimpse of things just beyond the foreground; positive and frequently uplifting stories of people, places, and things overlooked in our area and, occasionally, other places.

On Doing Something REAL At Christmas

I’m just as guilty as the next middle-aged dork of not thinking beyond my own horizon. This Christmas, for example, I’ve been all engrossed in plans for family dinner and cookie-making and things we can do to get into the spirit.

Fortunately – my life’s largest blessing, in fact – I share my world with an absolutely exemplary human being named Judye. For the past week, we’ve been trying haplessly to sell our three season tickets to this Sunday’s Seahawks game on craigslist, dropping the price steadily as it became obvious that a lot of people just don’t much want to watch a 5-8 football team out there tripping over their tongues. Last night, I lamely suggested giving the tickets to our family as a Christmas present. Judye kinda shrugged but didn’t seem thrilled about it.

Today, around 11 a.m., though, she called me with resolution and a small smile in her voice.

“Could you go up to the Tent City?” she said, “I think I’d like to give the tickets to somebody up there; maybe a family or three guys who really love the Seahawks. We could drive them to the game, too, pick ’em up afterwards. What do you think?”

I sat here, completely ashamed of myself for not thinking of it first and deeply honored to be keeping the daily company of someone whose thinking runs to that sort of goodness and consideration.

“Yeah,” I smiled, “I’d be happy to do that. And I want to thank you for thinking of it.”

This afternoon, about dusk, I walked into Tent City, currently in Bellevue, behind a church, about six blocks from our house. I walked into the almost eerily-quiet environs and was greeted by two guys, Bruce and Jeff. They heard me out and smiled and said, “That’s extraordinarily nice of you. I’m sure somebody would love to do that. Are you sure you want to drive us, too?”

“I’m sure,” I smiled, “Glad to.”

This Sunday morning, about 11:30, I’m going to drop in to the tent city with Judye. We’ll probably pack three bag lunches, throw in some of the four million cookies we’re making, and drive some Seahawks fans down to the game. It will be my pleasure and honor to do so. And my privilege to do it with the best human I’ve ever known.

Walking away from Tent City, I – who, shall we say, fills in for Santa Claus several times every Christmas when the press of business prevents him from visiting with groups of kids – actually felt, for the first time in a long time, like Santa Claus. It felt…good.

I hope that you will seize the chance to do some random act of kindness for no good reason, for someone whom you don’t know and expect nothing from, this very Christmas season. I believe that Winston Churchill’s old adage applies all the time but especially at this time of the year…